1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable phone and, more particularly, to a support bracket assembly for detachably coupling a flip cover to a main housing of such portable phone.
2. Description of Related Art
Portable cellular phones, which typically transmit and receive signals at a frequency of approximately 900 Megahertz, are well known and have been utilized for the last several years. Recently, however, it has become important for a second mode of communication, i.e., satellite, to be employed in areas where cellular communication is unavailable due to the lack of necessary cellular towers or stations. Such satellite communication occurs at frequencies within the L-band, and generally in the range of 1.0 to 30.0 Gigahertz.
It is recognized that separate antennas are necessary for cellular and satellite modes of communication since cellular antennas are linearly polarized and satellite antennas are circularly polarized. A further difference is that the satellite communication mode involves a directional component, where link margin is increased when the satellite antenna is pointed toward the satellite, and the cellular communication mode does not. Thus, the positioning of the satellite antenna in the portable phone is very important, as is the construction of the satellite antenna.
Flip covers for portable phones have generally been used to protect the keypad or display and has only extended over part of the phone base. In certain applications, though, a flip cover has been utilized to house an antenna (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,061, U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,892, U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,346, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,173). As will be seen herein, each of the antennas disclosed in these patents is of a different construction than the satellite antenna of the present invention. Additionally, the mechanical coupling of the flip cover to the main housing in such patents involves rotation about a single axis between an open and a closed position.
Moreover, it will be noted that portable phones including antennas in such flip covers are made with the intention that the flip cover remain coupled to the main housing thereof. This can be problemmatic in the case where a user desires to position the portable phone in a docking station, a car cradle adapter, or the like since such accessories generally have their own antenna. While it is possible for the fixed antenna within the flip cover to be disconnected when the phone is in such an accessory, electrical performance has been known to suffer due to the mechanical switches required. Thus, there are many instances where it is desirable for the user to be able to freely change antennas when required without the need for such switching components.
In light of the foregoing, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a portable phone which is able to operate in the dual modes of satellite and cellular communication.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an antenna system for a portable phone which is able to operate in the dual modes of satellite and cellular communication.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an antenna system for a portable phone operable in a satellite communication mode which has an improved gain/temperature ratio for better link margin.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a flip cover for housing the satellite antenna of a portable phone, where the flip cover is uniquely coupled to the main housing to enable better orientation of the satellite antenna with respect to the applicable satellite.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a flip cover assembly which is detachably coupled to the main housing of a portable phone.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a support bracket assembly for detachably coupling a flip cover to the main housing of a portable phone.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a support bracket assembly for detachably coupling a flip cover to the main housing of a portable phone, where the flip cover is able to rotate about two separate axes with respect to such support bracket.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable phone with a detachable antenna system to facilitate connection to the antenna of a docking station.
Yet a further object of the invention is to simplify the design of accessories of a portable satellite phone.
These objects and other features of the present invention will become more readily apparent upon reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the following drawing.
In accordance with the present invention, a portable phone is disclosed as including a main housing, circuitry located within the main housing for operating the portable phone in a designated mode of communication, a support bracket assembly detachably coupled to the main housing, a flip cover rotatably secured to the support bracket assembly about a first axis, and an antenna coupled to the circuitry for transmitting and receiving signals in the designated communication mode integrated with the flip cover. The flip cover is also rotatable about a second axis with respect to the support bracket assembly, which is substantially perpendicular to the first axis. The support bracket assembly includes a support bracket having a slotted portion at one end sized to receive an end of the main housing, a latching mechanism for coupling the support bracket to the main housing, and a hinge mechanism located at the other end of the support bracket to rotatably couple the support bracket to the flip cover about the first axis. The designated mode of communication may be cellular and/or satellite.
In a second aspect of the invention, a support bracket assembly for coupling a flip cover to a main housing of a portable phone is disclosed as including a support bracket having a first end with a slotted portion sized to receive an end of the main housing, a latching mechanism for coupling the support bracket to the main housing, and a hinge mechanism rotatably coupling the flip cover and a second end of the support bracket about a first axis. The hinge mechanism also provides an annular surface so that the flip cover is rotatable about a second axis with respect to the support bracket.